Dallas Police Shut Down Year-Old Illegal Night Club Operating Blocks From Their HQ

For 15 months, Sidelines Private Sports Lounge provided what it billed as "South Side's Version of Upscale," which included drinks, dancing, Madden tournaments and exotic dancers performing on the establishment's prominent stripper pole.

The problem, according to Dallas police, is that it was operating illegally, and it was doing just a few blocks down Lamar Street from DPD headquarters.

The main issue appears to be Sidelines' lack of a TABC permit for selling alcohol. It's unclear from police documents whether they have the city-issued permits required to run a night club featuring strippers, though they do have a certificate of occupancy.

In any case, cops, along with a code inspector, city attorney, and the Dallas Fire Marshal rolled into the club just before midnight Thursday. They found the parking lot full and about 30 people inside and "observed heavy smoke from cigarettes and alcohol being served from behind the bar."

They quickly moved to shut things down, seizing a couple dozen bottles of liquor and several dozen bottles of beer.

The club's operator, 44-year-old Anthony Marsh, was arrested on an outstanding warrant and taken to Lew Sterrett, as was a 24-year-old woman police found dressing after a performance on the stripper pole.